Breath
by astoryaboutagirl
Summary: When Leon gets hurt avenging Cloud, Cloud decides it might be better if he leaves. But will Leon let him?


**A/N:** So this was the second fanfic I wrote. Thank you to everyone who read the first. Any comments/reviews are much appreciated. Enjoy.

_Disclaimer: I don not own KH, or any of the characters. Square Enix does._

**Breath**

As day gave way to night, the dusk stole away the light from the room. Shadows cast themselves over the occupant's faces. One passive, eyes closed, though not by choice; the other blank, their eyes dead.

"Damn it, Squall!" Cloud suddenly growled to the otherwise empty room, banging his fist against the chair he was sitting in. "I warned you." He whispered.

Cloud sat forward starring at his lover, he wanted to reach out, take Leon's hand but he couldn't. Not when he felt so guilty. Once again, it was his fault that someone he loved was lying injured because of him.

"I'm sorry." Cloud whispered as he stood and picked up his sword, sheathing it carefully, before leaving the room.

Some fresh air would do him good, give him time to think. He knew he should be there for Leon right now but he couldn't look at his lover.

The rest of the restoration committee just watched him go, sadly. They seemed to understand his need for personal space and Cloud was grateful for that.

* * *

Once outside Cloud wandered the streets, killing any heartless that dared to show up. Immensely enjoying the huge fight he managed to get himself into. Once it was over he retreated to one of the high ledges overlooking the town. Cloud sat down and sighed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Wouldn't it be better if he just left? If he wasn't with Leon none of this would have happened. He'd let people in before, people like Zack. His first love. Zack had died trying to protect him, trying to save him.

And now, now the same had happened to Leon. So with his mind made up Cloud got to his feet and headed back. There was one thing for certain, he couldn't leave in the state he was in, covered in the stench of heartless and dressed in torn clothing.

* * *

Cloud stormed back into the house and straight up the stairs. If he had taken the time to he may have noticed the other members of the restoration committee, sans one in particular, starring at him with marked curiosity. But the only thing on his mind was washing away the days dirt and grime.

Cloud stayed under the spray until the water turned to ice and he could no longer feel, physically at least. Clad in only a towel and carrying his dirty clothes, he made his way to the room he shared with Leon. It was easier to think of it that way. However, he was forced to pause as he reached the door. The ancient wood panel was a jar and he could hear two people exchanging conversation softly. The first voice belonged to Aerith and the second made Cloud's heart skip a beat, then practically shatter not a moment later. Leon was awake and all he wanted to do was tell him just how much he cared about him but instead he was about to break his lover's heart.

Taking a deep breath Cloud knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Aerith, who looked away immediately, blushing profusely.

"Sorry." Cloud murmured.

"I'll leave you two to it." Aerith replied, voice barely more than a whisper, before turning away and heading back down stairs.

It was only after Cloud had watched her disappear downstairs that he walked inside.

He found Leon sat up, leaning against a half a dozen pillows. The blond forced himself to advert his eyes and begin to get dressed, pulling items from the chest of drawers before him.

"Well, a glad to see you're alright would be nice." The brunet's voice made him pause.

"I'm happy you're ok." He replied quietly, without turning from what he was doing.

"Cloud?" He heard Leon the first time, and the second, the Lion's voice betraying just how anxious Cloud's behaviour was making him.

As he left the room the younger of the two heard his lover call to him one more time and the shifting of bed sheets, closely followed by the heavy footfalls of the man he was only hurting more. Cloud cursed himself under his breath silently as he descended the stairs. He wished, as he pulled on the boots he had kicked off by the door that he had the courage to just tell Leon why he had to do this.

"Cloud?"

The blonde turned to see one rather confused looking Leon, already halfway down the stairs. Cloud turned away unable to even look at his lover and returned to trying to fasten his boots however, he somehow fumbled. Eventually, though he was able to finish the task at hand and reached for the door, but just as he reached for the handle he was spun around and pinned against it.

"Cloud, I don't know what's wrong, but we need to talk." Leon's voice low and dangerous whispered close to his ear.

Cloud briefly contemplated pushing Leon away and just escaping out the door, until the brunet's grip tightened on his shoulder. He looked into stormy grey eyes, filled with hurt and confusion. Instead he relaxed, letting Leon know he had won.

"Upstairs now." He whispered thickly, before releasing his grip on the blond and moving so he could do as he had been commanded.

Leon turned and watched him retreat back up the stairs, then turned to face a rather shocked looking restoration committee, their eyes which were burning holes in the back of head finally getting too much. He merely starred at them a moment, not feeling as if he owed them any sort of explanation, before going in search of his blond.

The Lion found his lover standing beside their bedroom door, waiting for him. Leon motioned for him to enter, before following after him and kicking the door shut, somewhat ungracefully, behind him. The gunblader took a seat awkwardly on the bed opposite, the potions and cures having healed the wounds he'd suffered, though he was still a little sore and achy. The brunet looked across at Cloud. He was leaning back against the chest of drawers, arms folded, eyes fixed, unmoving, on one particular spot on the floor.

"What in Hyne's name, Cloud?" Leon asked, his voice quiet, hurt, as he starred at his supposed lover.

"You need to let me go, Squall. I'll only be the death of you." Cloud replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

The blond waited, but when he received no answer he dared to look up, only to be greeted by one very confused looking gunblader.

"Now he knows about you, he'll only use you to get to me. He'll kill you Squall, and I don't want anyone else to die because of me."

"I thought that you...took care of him. Aerith told me that you killed Sephiroth." Leon questioned, still confused.

"I did." Cloud answered, voice nearly breaking with the strain. "But I killed him before and he came back and he'll only come back again. I doomed to fight him over and over. I can't see you hurt all because of me."

"I'm the one who tracked Sephiroth down. After all you told me, how could I not go after him? After everything he's put you through. I won't let him, or anything else come between us." Leon argued calmly, hiding the way he truly felt.

Cloud paused, before looking away again.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and made to walk out the door however, Leon was suddenly before him.

"Cloud?" The brunet sighed reaching out and gently lifting his lover's chin so he was looking at him.

"Are you just going to give up on us? I love you, and I thought you loved me too." Leon whispered.

"I do." Cloud whispered back, looking into Leon's swirling, stormy, grey eyes. "That's

why—"

The blond was cut off by Leon's lips. The kiss was soft and sweet, so tender he wasn't use to it. Cloud gazed into his Lion's eyes briefly, seeing the love there Cloud allowed his eyes to slide close letting Leon know he had surrendered. The blond open his mouth to the brunet as his lover's tongue gently brushed against his lips.

Leon pulled Cloud flush against himself and slid a leg between both of the blond's as said blond slid one hand up into thick, chocolate brown locks, whilst he ran the fingers of the other seductively over the brunet's chest. Only pausing to caress a hardened nub, causing shivers of pleasure to run down Leon's spine.

Cloud smirked as they broke the kiss, both breathing raggedly. Hazily he recalled feeling the same breathlessness earlier that day, yet he'd been terrified then. He leaned in, almost taking Leon by surprise, and kissed his lover tenderly, letting Leon know he felt the same. His heart ached uncontrollably. Though he knew he should leave right this second, never to return, he was unable to. Especially when Leon captured his lips in a soul searing kiss.

It wasn't lust, or even passion that the brunet felt in that instant, it was something more. It was contentment, an unconditional love for the younger. Leon knew in that horribly clichéd moment that Cloud was the love of his life, his other half and all those other romantic notions that he couldn't stand, and more over refused to entertain for a moment. Until now.

He pushed those thoughts away, to contemplate some other time and continued with his ministrations. He moved his lips lower to assault Cloud's neck, placing gentle nips and kisses making the blond moan in appreciation. His moans, turned to gasps however, as the Lion slid a hand under his shirt to caress taunt abdominal muscles. With the other hand Leon undid the zipper on Cloud's sleeveless sweater, before tugging it off over Cloud's slightly raised arms and dropping it to the floor.

Leon's lips were back on his lover's immediately, unable to get enough of the blond as he gently laid Cloud on the bed. Trailing kisses down his body, worshipping every imperfection but in his eyes they were what made Cloud so perfect. He only stopped once he reached the top of the blond's pants. Leon drew designs, lightly, with his tongue across the blond's abdomen, at the same time deftly unbuckling Cloud's boots, whilst teasingly stroking him through his pants.

All this attention had his young lover writhing beneath him and moaning his true name over and over, tracing random patterns across Leon's shoulder and back, setting the skin there alight. As Cloud's hands moved lower it proved more and more difficult for Leon to get Cloud's boots undone and off. Eventually however, Leon succeeded and moved up Cloud's body, once more lavishing the blond's body with kisses before capturing his mouth tenderly.

Cloud trailed his hands back up and hooked his fingers under the band on Leon's sleep pants. He tugged at them gently, indicating what he wanted from the brunet, but, whether it was intentional or not, he was ignored. Instead Leon proceeded to undo Cloud's own pants, moving slightly so he could slid both the pants and the blond's underwear off in one and add them to the growing pile on the floor.

"Squall." Cloud managed to force out, breathless.

The brunet ceased kissing his love's neck to look at him for a moment, teasing. Silently daring the other to ask for what he wanted. Leon arched an eyebrow, waiting.

"Off. Now." Cloud growled, tugging at the pants for emphasis.

In response Leon moved his hands down and grasped Cloud's, guiding him. Leon, still holding both of Cloud's hands, pinned them by the wrist on either side of the blond's head. He kissed his lover again but this time ground their arousals together electing a broken moan from the blond. Leon shifted Cloud's hands together, holding them in place with one hand, the other he used to open the bedside drawer and retrieve the lubricant they kept there.

He released Cloud's hands as the blond heard the snap of the tube top, gasping when Leon's slick fingers entered him, twisting and stretching. Cloud cried out, hips arching off the bed as the brunet touched that nerve inside of him. Leon ran the fingers of his other hand up and down Cloud's outer thighs, eventually removing his fingers and reaching for the lube once more.

"Let me." Cloud interrupted, sitting up and gently taking the bottle from his lover and opening it.

With gentle caresses, Cloud coated his lover, smirking once more as he watched Leon literally squirming with pleasure.

"Cl-Cloud." Leon choked out, "Lie back." He commanded, voice thick, softly pushing the blond onto his back.

Cloud did as he was told. Leon bent one of his knees, lifting the other leg over his shoulder as he carefully entered his lover.

The blond wrapped his arms around his Lion's neck as the brunet leaned in to kiss him, their tongues intertwining. As he lay there whispering his lover's true name over and over close to his ear, voice rising with each thrust, Cloud noticed once again how different both their actions had been. They'd always been so passionate with one another, but whilst the passion was still there, it seemed to bubble beneath the surface. Instead, now, it was tender, loving almost.

Cloud pulled Leon's mouth up to his own, from where he was lavishing attention on his neck. He tangled his fingers into Leon's hair. Cloud moaned into his Lion's mouth, bucking his hips to meet Leon's as he released. The blond's release was enough to send Leon over the edge and the brunet came moments later, moaning his love's name.

Leon collapsed only partially on Cloud, waiting a moment to catch his breath before pulling out of his blond and gathering him up in his arms. He kissed Cloud gently on the forehead and caressed his cheek.

"Do you understand now?" Leon asked, burying his face in Cloud's shoulder, trying to hide the fact he was breaking inside. "I need you." He whispered, so quietly that had Cloud not had enhanced senses he was sure he would not have heard him.

Cloud nodded and stroked his Lion's hair gently, as Leon kissed his neck softly.

"I'm sorry. I've lost everyone I've loved. I don't want to lose you too." Cloud confessed, his voice nearly breaking.

"You're not alone." Leon whispered as Cloud began to fall asleep.

As he drifted off his final thoughts were that he truly loved Leon, so much he knew now he couldn't leave. One thing was certain no matter what happened, win or lose they'd be together no matter what.

* * *


End file.
